The Danger of a Single Story

Chimamanda on TED

What harm could it be for an elementary school teacher to have her students in the class make African masks? Surely making Indian headdresses while discussing American Indian culture has been an accepted practice in schools and is harmless, isn't it? In a TED video called Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story, Ms. Adichie cautions that if only a single story about different individuals or cultures is presented, there is danger of developing misconceptions.
 


http://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafeClient/CoverImage.aspx

 

An example of this is the book Brother eagle, sister sky : a message from Chief Seattle. This book has been criticized for depicting a very flat American Indian culture. The reality is that each tribe has their own unique culture and beliefs. This books alienates the people it portrays and breeds the misconception that all Indians are alike.